Pennsylvania Certification Exams, Applications, Education & Experience

Becoming a certified drinking water or wastewater operator in Pennsylvania involves more than passing an examination. Applicants must satisfy education requirements, pass the examinations required for the certification sought, document qualifying operating experience, submit a complete certification application, and receive approval from the State Board for Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators.

These requirements work together. An applicant may pass every required exam but still need additional qualifying experience before certification can be issued. Likewise, extensive plant experience does not replace examinations that are required for the requested certification.

The Initial Certification Process

Pennsylvania DEP identifies several major steps in initial operator certification:

1. Meet the applicable education requirement.
2. Pass the required certification examination or examinations.
3. Meet the operating-experience requirements for the class and subclass sought.
4. Complete and submit the certification application and supporting documentation.
5. Receive approval from the State Board.

Certification is issued only after the applicable requirements have been satisfied and the application has been approved.

Minimum Education Requirement

DEP states that certified operators generally must have a high school diploma or GED.

An exception exists in the certification program for certain individuals who were working in a water or wastewater system before February 21, 2002.

Beyond this minimum education requirement, additional qualifying education can reduce some of the operating experience that must otherwise be obtained before certification.

Education and Experience Are Connected

Pennsylvania uses education as one factor in determining how much operating experience an applicant must document.

DEP currently describes two pathways, called Track 1 and Track 2.

• Track 1 is generally for applicants using a high school diploma or GED as their education basis.
• Track 2 is for applicants using qualifying advanced education or an approved certificate program to reduce the operating-experience requirement.

An applicant chooses the track that applies to the certification application. DEP specifically states that applicants cannot combine portions of Track 1 and Track 2 to create a custom experience requirement.

Track 1

Under Track 1, the applicant generally qualifies on the basis of a high school diploma or GED plus the required operating experience.

DEP allows qualifying post-high-school or post-GED water or wastewater training to supplement a portion of the experience requirement.

Under the current DEP guidance, every 10 hours of applicable DEP-approved water or wastewater training that the Board accepts for the certification sought may be applied toward the experience requirement.

However, Track 1 education credit can supplement only up to 50% of the required experience.

The applicant must still obtain the remaining qualifying operating experience.

Track 2

Track 2 is intended for applicants with qualifying certificate programs or advanced education.

Approved education can reduce the experience requirement according to the applicable DEP experience table.

An applicant choosing Track 2 does not also use the DEP-approved training-hour substitution available through Track 1.

Only education that meets the applicable certification-program requirements should be assumed to qualify for Track 2 credit.

What Counts as Qualifying Experience?

DEP expects operator experience to involve actual work related to water or wastewater system operation.

Examples identified by DEP include experience with:

• operation of mechanical equipment;
• maintenance of mechanical equipment;
• collection of samples;
• analysis of chemical and biological samples;
• process-control calculations;
• preparation or standardization of chemical and biological solutions;
• compiling and completing monitoring data;
• determining appropriate process-control measures while assisting appropriately certified personnel.

The purpose of the experience requirement is to demonstrate practical exposure to the work performed by operators, not simply time spent employed at a facility.

Applicants Gaining Experience Are Not Yet Certified Operators

An applicant may perform operator-related work while gaining qualifying experience, but a person who is not appropriately certified cannot independently make process-control decisions that require certified-operator authority.

The applicant may assist a certified operator and gain experience with process-control activities, but the certified operator retains responsibility for required process-control decisions.

This distinction is important both for actual plant operation and for certification exam questions.

Complete Months and Years of Experience

DEP evaluates qualifying experience according to the applicable certification requirements and experience tables.

DEP guidance emphasizes that experience means complete qualifying months or years rather than simply the calendar period between an employment start date and an application date.

Applicants should document employment and duties accurately so DEP and the Board can determine what portion qualifies.

Cross-Credit Between Water and Wastewater Experience

DEP currently permits limited substitution between drinking water and wastewater operating experience.

An operator with water-system experience may substitute up to 50% of that qualifying time toward the wastewater experience requirement.

Likewise, an operator with wastewater experience may substitute up to 50% of that qualifying time toward the drinking water experience requirement.

This does not mean that water and wastewater experience are fully interchangeable. The remaining required experience must satisfy the applicable certification requirements.

The Required Exams

For the standard Class A, B, C, and D certifications, Pennsylvania generally uses a two-part examination structure.

The applicant must pass:

• Part 1, General Exam;
• the applicable Part 2 technology-specific exam or exams.

The technology exams correspond to the treatment subclasses required for the system where the operator works or intends to work.

An applicant should therefore know the plant's treatment technologies before selecting examinations.

General Exam

The General Exam evaluates knowledge and skills that apply broadly to water or wastewater operation.

The applicant normally combines the General Exam with the technology-specific exams required for a standard A-D certification.

Passing only the General Exam does not create a complete standard treatment certification when applicable technology subclasses are also required.

Technology-Specific Exams

Technology-specific examinations correspond to Pennsylvania treatment subclasses.

For example, a wastewater operator working at an activated sludge facility may need the Activated Sludge examination. A drinking water operator may need examinations associated with filtration, chemical addition, disinfection, corrosion control, or other technologies used by the system.

A system may require several subclasses, so an operator may need to pass more than one technology-specific examination.

Stand-Alone Exams

Pennsylvania also has stand-alone certification examinations that do not require the Part 1 General Exam in the same manner as standard treatment certifications.

DEP currently identifies stand-alone examinations for:

• WDC, qualifying small drinking water systems;
• WE, Water Distribution;
• WWE4, Wastewater Collection.

These certifications have their own eligibility and certification rules.

Know the Plant Before Registering for Exams

DEP advises applicants to determine the size and treatment technologies of the plant before selecting exams.

An applicant should know:

• whether the facility is drinking water or wastewater;
• the system classification;
• the treatment technologies used;
• the certification subclasses associated with those technologies;
• whether a standard or stand-alone certification applies.

Taking an unrelated exam does not create authority for a treatment technology the operator does not hold on the certificate.

Registering for an Exam

DEP uses Approved Examination Providers, commonly called AEPs, to conduct operator certification examination sessions.

Applicants register for specific examination sessions through the examination provider, not directly through DEP.

DEP publishes the current exam schedule and identifies examination providers and locations.

Applicants should use the current DEP exam schedule because dates, locations, providers, and availability can change.

Exam Preparation

DEP does not generally require a specific pre-certification course simply to sit for an operator examination, but the Department strongly recommends preparation.

DEP provides or identifies:

• operator training modules;
• exam-preparation courses;
• training advice documents;
• approved training providers;
• certificate and associate-degree programs.

DEP also recommends reviewing basic mathematics, biology, and chemistry as appropriate to the exam.

Passing Exams Does Not Equal Certification

This is one of the most important concepts to remember.

A person can pass the General Exam and all applicable technology exams without yet holding an operator certificate.

The applicant must still meet the education and operating-experience requirements and successfully complete the certification-application process.

Only after Board approval and issuance of the certificate is the applicant certified at the approved class and subclassifications.

Class Upgrade Exams

DEP currently states that operators do not need to retake examinations simply to upgrade the size class of an existing certification.

For example, an operator who already holds the applicable treatment certification and later obtains the experience required for a higher class can apply for a class upgrade without retaking the same certification exams solely because the facility-size class changes.

The applicant must still satisfy the experience and application requirements for the higher class.

Adding a New Subclass

Adding a new treatment subclass is different from upgrading class size.

To add a subclass, the operator generally must:

1. pass the applicable subclass examination;
2. meet any applicable experience requirements;
3. submit an upgrade application;
4. receive Board approval.

An existing certificate does not automatically expand when an operator begins working with a new treatment technology.

Applying for Initial Certification

Once the necessary examination requirements are satisfied and the applicant is ready to document the required qualifications, the applicant completes the initial certification process.

DEP currently requires the application package to include the appropriate certification application and supporting information needed to establish the applicant's qualifications.

The initial application also requires the applicable fee and a Pennsylvania State Police criminal history record report.

Documentation Matters

The Board can evaluate only the education and experience that are properly documented.

Applicants should provide accurate information concerning:

• employers and facilities;
• employment dates;
• system type;
• treatment technologies;
• job duties;
• qualifying operating experience;
• education and training claimed for credit.

Incomplete or unclear information can delay review or make it difficult to establish eligibility.

State Board Approval

Initial certification applications are reviewed through the Pennsylvania operator-certification program and presented to the State Board for Certification of Water and Wastewater Systems Operators.

The Board determines whether the applicant meets the certification requirements.

If approved, the applicant is issued the appropriate operator certificate.

Until that approval and issuance occur, passing the exams alone should not be described as full certification.

Application Deadlines and Board Meetings

The State Board meets on scheduled dates, and DEP establishes deadlines for complete initial, upgrade, and reciprocity applications before each meeting.

An application received after the applicable deadline is normally considered at a later Board meeting.

Applicants should therefore check the current DEP Board schedule when planning certification or an upgrade.

Do not memorize annual meeting dates for the certification exam. The dates change, while the important concept is that complete applications must meet the published deadline for the intended Board meeting.

Complete Means Complete

A certification application is not ready for Board consideration merely because the main form has been mailed.

Required supporting material, fees, experience documentation, and other current application items must also be provided as required.

Applicants should follow the current DEP application instructions rather than relying on an older form or checklist.

Exam and Certification Fees

Operator certification involves fees.

Approved Examination Providers may charge a fee for hosting or administering an examination session. DEP also charges applicable operator-certification program fees.

Because fees can change, applicants should use the current DEP fee schedule rather than memorize a dollar amount from an older study guide.

Professional and Specialized Experience

DEP and the State Board have policies addressing certain specialized experience, including experience involving professional engineers and some inspection or compliance personnel.

Applicants in unusual employment situations should not assume that all professional water-related work automatically qualifies as operator experience.

The Board determines qualifying experience according to the applicable law, regulations, policy, and documented duties.

Keep Records Before You Need Them

Operators planning future certification upgrades should maintain accurate employment and training records while the information is easy to verify.

Useful records can include:

• employment dates;
• plant classifications;
• treatment technologies;
• job descriptions;
• training certificates;
• approved course records;
• exam records;
• copies of certification correspondence.

Good records can make later certification and upgrade applications much easier to document.

Common Certification Application Mistakes

• Assuming that passing the exam automatically creates certification.
• Taking exams without first determining which treatment subclasses apply.
• Claiming employment time that does not demonstrate qualifying operating experience.
• Assuming all education automatically reduces the experience requirement.
• Combining Track 1 and Track 2 experience substitutions.
• Allowing an uncertified applicant to make independent process-control decisions while gaining experience.
• Assuming drinking water and wastewater experience are fully interchangeable.
• Retaking exams unnecessarily when applying only for a class-size upgrade.
• Assuming an existing certificate automatically includes a newly learned treatment technology.
• Submitting incomplete experience or education documentation.
• Missing the published Board application deadline.
• Using outdated forms, fees, or schedules instead of current DEP information.

A Practical Initial Certification Sequence

1. Identify the drinking water or wastewater certification sought.
2. Determine the system class and treatment subclasses.
3. Determine which General, technology-specific, or stand-alone exams are required.
4. Select the appropriate education and experience track.
5. Begin documenting qualifying operating experience.
6. Prepare for and pass the required examinations.
7. Confirm that the required qualifying experience has been completed.
8. Gather education, training, and employment documentation.
9. Obtain the current certification application and required supporting materials.
10. Submit a complete application and applicable fees by the appropriate deadline.
11. Receive State Board approval.
12. Verify the class and subclassifications shown on the issued certificate.

What to Remember for the Exam

• Pennsylvania certification requires more than passing an exam.
• Applicants generally need the required education, examinations, qualifying experience, application, and Board approval.
• A high school diploma or GED is the normal minimum education basis, subject to the program's historical exception.
• DEP uses Track 1 and Track 2 to apply education toward experience requirements.
• Track 1 can use qualifying DEP-approved training to supplement up to 50% of required experience.
• Track 1 and Track 2 cannot be mixed and matched.
• Qualifying experience involves actual operator-related duties.
• An uncertified applicant gaining experience cannot independently make process-control decisions requiring certified-operator authority.
• Up to 50% of qualifying drinking water experience may be substituted toward wastewater experience, and vice versa, under DEP rules.
• Standard A-D certification generally requires a General Exam plus applicable technology-specific exams.
• Pennsylvania also has stand-alone certification exams.
• Applicants register for exam sessions through Approved Examination Providers.
• Passing exams does not itself make an applicant certified.
• A class-size upgrade generally does not require retaking the certification examinations.
• A new treatment subclass generally requires the applicable subclass examination.
• Initial certification requires a complete application and supporting documentation.
• Applications are subject to State Board review and approval.
• Use current DEP schedules, application instructions, and fee information because administrative details can change.